The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for the wet cleaning of building walls and floors, swimming pools, automobiles and the like, by means of a high-pressure jet of, washing or cleaning fluid, based on water with or without additives, the apparatus being provided with a pump driven by an electric motor, particularly a squirrel-cage motor, for the generation of the jet pressure, and provided with means to regulate at least the pressure of the discharged liquid which may originate from the water mains, a reservoir or a mixing vessel.
Cleaning apparatus of the type of such high-pressure spraying units are known in technology for the most differing purposes, in stationary arrangement, f.i. for motor vehicle washing installations, and also as portable or movable units, wherein they mainly serve for the wet cleaning of the walls and floors or buildings, f.i. of stables, but also for any other objects or installations as desired, f.i. surfaces covered with plastics, tarpaulins, swimming pools or the like. Corresponding to the respective application, the water serving as cleaning or washing liquid may be provided with appropriate additives f.i. in the form of alkaline or acidic cleaning, corrosion proofing, lubricating, or washing agents. The spraying of, cleaning or washing liquid is accomplished, at least with smaller and movable units, by means of hand-held spraying nozzles, particularly in the form of spraying pistols. It can, however, particularly with stationary apparatus, also be effected by means of nozzles or similar in stationary installation, connected to the delivery line of the high pressure unit by a flexible line, or a nose.
The known cleaning apparatus of the category described above, have the disadvantage of their design concept resulting in a complicated construction, and they have thus comparatively large dimensions as well as a high weight of their construction relative to their capacity. Although this disadvantage will be considerable also with stationary or fixed cleaning apparatus, for motor vehicle washing installations, this disadvantage is of special importance with such cleaning apparatus of the category discussed herein which, according to the intended use, should be easily portable, and at any rate easily movable for domestic and private use.
The reason for the comparatively voluminous and heavy construction of the cleaning apparatus as known, lies in the fact that the generation of the high pressure jet is usually effected by a plunger pump with three pistons arranged in line, driven by a motor arranged separately from the pump, wherein the power transmission between motor and pump will usually lead to a further increase in the expenditure of construction. This arrangement will usually also force the provision of both parts of the high-pressure unit with an appropriately extensive, and expensive, cowling.
To the above it must be added, that the electric motors which, are usually used for this purpose will on one hand require, due to the air cooling, the construction of complicated and larger housings, and on the other hand will generate objectionable noise during continuous operation. As far as squirrel cage motors are used herein, they are of the disadvantage that they may overload the pump by means of the pulling-out torque and will thus require additional safeguards against causing excessive pressure thereby. On the other hand, the pulling-out torque of air-cooled squirred-cage motors may be utilized only momentarily for the power output of the pump, but not during continual operation.
From the reasons as given, the known cleaning apparatus of the afore-described category is not only of complicated, and correspondingly expensive construction, relatively large dimensions, and correspondingly high weight, but also expensive in procurement and maintenance, so that these facts are in opposition to wider use, especially in private and domestic applications.